Metal-clad high voltage circuit breaker apparatus

ABSTRACT

An output line has two branches, each of which is provided with a corresponding circuit breaker. The high voltage circuit breaker apparatus is housed in a metal covered housing which is divided into a plurality of areas which are provided with an insulating medium of higher grade than air at atmospheric pressure. Each of the circuit breakers is in direct electrical contact with a corresponding one of the bus bars and with the other circuit breaker. The circuit breakers are separated from each other by a partition in the housing and each bus bar is separated from the corresponding circuit breaker by a partition in the housing. The output line is electrically connected directly to a circuit breaker.

United States Patent Kessler [54] METAL-CLAD HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Claus Kessler, Berlin, Germany [73] Assignee: Siemens Aktelugesellschatt, Berlin and Munich, Germany [22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 87,834

[151 3,654,409 [451 Apr. 4, 1972 3,564,344 2/ 1971 Boersma ..200/48 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6,711,574 2/1969 Netherlands ..200/148 Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant Examiner-William J. Smith Attorney-Curt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfon, Herbert L. Lerner and Daniel J. Tick [57] ABSTRACT P t [30] Foreign Application florl y Data An output line has two branches, each of which is provided Nov. 14, 1969 Germany ..P 19 58 837.5 with a corresponding circuit breaker. The high voltage circuit breaker apparatus is housed in a metal covered housing which [52] US. Cl. ..200/48 R, 200/148 B, 200/ 163 is divided into a plurality of areas which are provided with an [51] lnt.Cl. ..H01h 31/00 in u ting me ium of higher grade than air at atmospheric 58] Field of Search ..20o/14s 13,148 D, 48 R, 145, pressure Each of the circuit breakers is in direct electrical goo/153 contact with a corresponding one of the bus bars and with the other circuit breaker. The circuit breakers are separated from [56] Refepences cued each other by a partition in the housing and each bus bar is separated from the corresponding circuit breaker by a parti- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion in the housing. The output line is electrically connected directly to a circuit breaker. 3,485.971 12/1969 Boersma ..200/l63 X 3,323,018 5/1967 Roth ..200/148 8 9 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 23a 3 22a 24a 24b 3 2 20b 19am 9; 1 .5 r

a 21a 27 l 211:

r B1) 3' 30 17a 25 j 26 3 21a 15a k L 118. I I I O\H b 1 8a (l1 Ii) (Ml) ig 5a 5 14b 12a 14a 7a 5 I 7b Ba 5a 6b 9b 13b METAL-CLAD HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER APPARATUS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to circuit breaker apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to metal-clad high voltage circuit breaker apparatus.

The circuit breaker apparatus of the invention comprises an output line having two branches. Each branch of the output line is provided with a bus bar and each bus bar is provided with a corresponding circuit breaker. Each of the circuit breakers is connected to the corresponding one of the bus bars. The circuit breaker apparatus is housed in a housing of metal which is divided by partitions or the like into a plurality of separate areas. An insulating medium is provided in the housing and is of higher grade than air at atmospheric pressure.

Circuit breaker apparatus of known type utilizes disconnecting switches in the line, so that at least one of the circuit breakers may be made electrically dead to permit maintenance work. The disconnecting switches may be replaced by apparatus in which the circuit breakers are run from an operational condition to'a disconnected condition. Thus, disconnecting contacts are required. Furthermore, the design of the housing is complicated by the required structure and operation. This results in increased structure and expense for permitting maintenance of the circuit breaker apparatus.

The principal object of the invention is to provide new an improved high voltage circuit breaker apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus which overcomes the disadvantages of circuit breaker apparatus of known type.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus which eliminates the need for disconnecting contacts completely.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus of simple and inexpensive structure.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus which may be maintained with rapidity and considerable facility.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus in which the voltage of the circuit breakers may be removed to permit facility and rapidity of maintenance.

An object of the invention is to provide high voltage circuit breaker apparatus which functions with efficiency, effectiveness and reliability.

In accordance with the invention, each of the circuit breakers is in direct electrical contact with a corresponding one of the bus bars. Each of the circuit breakers is in an area separated from the other by a partition, bulkhead, wall, or the like, which divides the housing into separate areas with regard to the insulating medium. Each of the circuit breakers is separated from the corresponding bus bar by a partition, bulkhead, wall, or the like, which divides the housing into separate areas with regard to the insulating medium. The circuit breakers are electrically connected to each other, although they are separated by the gastight partition. The output line is connected to one of the circuit breakers.

Prior to the opening of the housing of the circuit breaker apparatus, in order to permit maintenance or servicing of said apparatus, the output line is removed from operation by disconnecting the other circuit breaker and the bus bar which is directly connected to the circuit breaker is disconnected and the voltage is removed therefrom. The other branches of the output line and of the apparatus may continue to operate via the other bus bar, in the usual manner. The circuit breaker to be maintained or serviced is merely freed of voltage itself, but also relative to the connecting lines which extend through the partitions to the adjacent apparatus. As a result, the insulating medium may be removed from the corresponding area of the housing of the circuit breaker apparatus without reducing the voltage stability of the electrical conductors and electrically conducting components necessary for continuous operation.

The application of the invention is different from conventional double bus bar apparatus, since, during the servicing or maintenance period, one bus bar must be switched free by switching all the loads to the other bus bar. Continuous, uninterrupted operation is thereby possible. Only the output line corresponding to the circuit breaker is disconnected. This does not usually constitute a serious disadvantage, since the loads energized by the branch line must also be subjected to servicing and maintenance at specific intervals. This is also true for conventional double bus bar apparatus having a single circuit breaker.

In order to expedite the maintenance and servicing of the apparatus, the bus bars are preferably positioned in a known manner on the ground and each supports its corresponding circuit breaker. The circuit breakers are then readily accessible, thereby permitting rapid and facile servicing.

Each of the two branches has the same components and both branches form a completely symmetrical structure, thereby especially simplifying the structure of the apparatus of the invention. The components of the apparatus are exchangeable, so that very few spare parts are required.

There are preferably only three partitions, bulkheads, walls or the like, provided for each output line. The insulating medium is preferably a gas which is suitable for extinguishing arcs. The circuit breakers preferably are pufier type breakers. A considerably greater volume of insulating gas is thus available in a circuit breaker of simpler structure than in the known apparatus. The greater volume of insulating gas is less vulnerable with regard to the consumption of the quenching medium by the arc and with regard to leakage losses. The apparatus of the invention thus permits longer maintenance intervals without additional cost, as well as simple structure.

In accordance with the invention, high voltage circuit breaker apparatus comprises a metal housing having partitions therein dividing the housing into separate gastight areas. An insulating medium of higher grade than air at atmospheric pressure is provided in the separate areas. An output line extends into the housing and has a plurality of branches. Each of a plurality of bus bar arrangements of the same number as the number of branches of the output line is positioned in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing. Each of a plurality of circuit breakers is positioned in a corresponding one of the separate areas of the housing and each is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements through a corresponding one of the partitions. The circuit breakers are electrically connected to each other through another of the partitions and one of said circuit breakers is electrically connected to the output line.

The housing may be divided into four separate gastight areas. The output line has two branches. Two bus bar arrangements are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing. Two circuit breakers are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing and each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements. Three partitions are provided in the housing. One of the partitions separates the circuit breakers from each other, another of the partitions separates one of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement, and the third of the partitions separates the other of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement.

The housing includes housing tube portions each housing a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements. Each of the housing tube portions is supported on the ground and in turn supports the corresponding one of the circuit breakers.

The apparatus is of symmetrical structure except for the output line and each of the branches of the output line has the same components.

The insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher such as, for example, sulphur hexafluoride, and each of the circuit breakers is a puffer type breaker.

in order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein the single FIGURE is a schematic diagram, partly in section, of an embodiment of the high voltage circuit breaker apparatus of the invention.

The housed high voltage circuit breaker apparatus of the Figure may handle a voltage of 100 kilovolts. The insulating medium utilized in the metal housing comprises sulphur hexafluoride under slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. The circuit breaker apparatus 1 of the FIGURE has two bus bar arrangements A and B, although any suitable number of bus bars may be accommodated.

The bus bar arrangement A comprises a housing tube 20 and the bus bar arrangement B comprises a housing tube 2b. A circuit breaker 3a corresponds to the bus bar arrangement A and a circuit breaker 3b corresponds to the bus bar arrangement B. The housing tubes 2a and 2b of the bus bars are mounted on the ground by any suitable means. Three different phase buses 5a, 6a and 7 a are equiangularly positioned in the housing tube 2a. Three different phase buses 5b, 6b and 7b are equiangularly positioned in the housing tube 2b.

The buses 5a, 6a and 7a are affixed to the housing tube 2a via electrical insulating members 8a, 9a and 10a, respectively. The buses 5b, 6b and 7b are affixed to the housing tube 2b via electrical insulating members 8b, 9b and 10b, respectively. The gas chamber of the bus bar arrangement A is sealed by a gastight duct 11a. The gas chamber of the bus bar arrangement B is sealed by a gastight duct 11b. The gastight ducts 11a and 11b function as partitions, bulkheads, walls, or the like, and are provided for each of the phase buses of each of the bus bar arrangements A and B.

The bus bar arrangement A comprises three branch lines 12a, 13a and 14a of a three-phase alternating'current system, which are mutually displaced in the longitudinal direction of the housing tube 2a. The bus bar arrangement B comprises three branch lines 12b, 13b and 14b of a three pole field, which are mutually displaced in the longitudinal direction of the housing tube 2b.

An electrical conductor passes through the gastight duct 11a and has a contact end 15a on the side of said duct adjacent the corresponding circuit breaker 3a. The contact 150 functions as an isolated contact member for the circuit breaker 3a. An electrical conductor passes through the gastight duct 11b and has a contact end 15b on the side of said duct adjacent the corresponding circuit breaker 3b. The contact 15b functions as an isolated contact member for the circuit breaker 3b. Each of the circuit breakers 3a and 3b is a puffer type breaker. The circuit breaker 3a has a movable tripping pin 17a which cooperates with the contact member 15a. The circuit breaker 3b has a movable tripping pin 17b which cooperates with the contact member 15b.

The movable contact pin 17a of the circuit breaker 3a is connected to a grounded puffer piston 19a via an insulated rod 18a. The piston 19a, and thus the rod 18a, are axially movable in a metal cylinder 20a. The movable contact pin 17b of the circuit breaker 3b is connected to a grounded blowing piston 19b via an insulated rod 18b. The piston 19b, and thus the rod 18b, are axially movable in a metal cylinder 20b. The cylinder 20a is directly affixed to the portion 21a of the metal housing of the circuit breaker apparatus. The cylinder 20b is directly affixed to the portion 21b of the metal housing of the circuit breaker apparatus. The cylinders 20a and 20b are hydraulically operated.

The piston 19a is driven by driving apparatus 22a comprising a driving cylinder 23a and a driving piston 24a axially movable therein and mounted on the same portion of the housing as the cylinder 20a. The piston 19b is driven by driving apparatus 22b comprising a driving cylinder 23b and a driving piston 24b axially movable therein and mounted on the same portion of the housing as the cylinder 20a.

The circuit breaker apparatus of the invention thus comprises equal arrangements of components or elements. Each of the bus bar arrangements A and B cooperates with its corresponding circuit breaker 3a and 3b, respectively. The circuit breakers 3a and 3b are in direct electrical contact with each other via two high voltage conductors 25 and 26 which pass through a gastight duct 27 in a gastight manner, in the same manner that the electrical conductors pass through the corresponding ducts 11a and 11b in a gastight manner.

If one of the circuit breakers 3a and 3b is connected or closed, the corresponding bus bar is connected to a cable 30. The cable 30 has a cable terminal 31 which extends into the housing of the circuit breaker apparatus. The duct 27 thus functions as a gastight partition, bulkhead or wall between the gas chambers of the circuit breakers 3a and 3b.

The circuit breaker apparatus of the invention eliminates disconnecting switches. Maintenance is possible, however, without interrupting the operation of adjacent branches. Thus, for example, if the circuit breaker 3a is being serviced, the bus bar arrangement A in the housing 2a must be disconnected. The circuit breaker 3b is disconnected or opened. The cable 30 is grounded, so that there is no feedback voltage.

The insulating medium or gas may then be readily and facilely removed from the portion or area 210 of the housing which houses the circuit breaker 3a, so that said circuit breaker may be readily serviced. There is no longer a voltage at the duct 11a which connects the bus bar arrangement A to the circuit breaker 3a when said circuit breaker is closed, or at the duct 27. Since the bus bar arrangement A is gastight in its own area, it remains filled with the insulating medium or gas. Furthermore, since the circuit breaker 3b is sealed gastight in its own area, it remains filled with the insulating medium or gas. Thus, due to the provision of the ducts 11a, 11b and 27, any bus bar arrangement or circuit breaker may be isolated for maintenance or service and may be drained of its insulating gas, without affecting the other areas.

If it is desired to service or maintain the circuit breaker 3b, the other circuit breaker 3a must be disconnected and grounded. Furthermore, the bus bar arrangement B is to be disconnected, so that there is no high voltage potential at the contact 15b. The circuit breaker 3b may then be serviced, since no voltage is present at its terminals. The only prerequisite for servicing of the circuit breaker 3b is then the removal of the sulphur hexafluoride insulating gas from the housing portion or area 21b.

The housing of the circuit breaker apparatus of the invention is thus completely symmetrical in structure. The cable sealing end 31 of the cable 30 may enter the housing on the other side thereof adjacent the circuit breaker 3a, if desired. The symmetrical structure of the housing and apparatus of the invention permits very easy assembly, maintenance and repair.

The three partitions 11a, 11b and 27 thus permits separate maintenance and servicing for any of the circuit breakers or bus bar arrangements without effecting the other circuit breakers and bus bar arrangements.

The apparatus of the invention is not limited to the use of puffer type circuit breakers, as illustrated. There is an advantage to the use of such circuit breakers, however, since it eliminates the need for special supply leads, such as those required for pressure gas switches comprising a dual pressure gas system. The circuit breakers are thus completely self-sufficient.

The apparatus of the invention may also be utilized with more than two bus bar arrangements A and B. Thus, for example, three bus bar arrangements may be utilized. Each of the bus bar arrangements is housed in its own housing tube. The third bus bar arrangement would be provided in a third housing tube and would be connected to a third circuit breaker. The structure and operation would be the same as that hereinbefore described for two bus bar arrangements and two corresponding circuit breakers.

While the invention has been described by means of a specific example and in a specific embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus, comprising a metal housing having partitions therein dividing said housing into separate gastight areas; an insulating medium of higher grade than air at atmospheric pressure in the separate areas; an output line extending into the housing and having a plurality of branches; a plurality of bus bar arrangements of the same number as the number of branches of the output line each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing; and a plurality of circuit breakers each in a corresponding one of the separate areas of the housing and each electrically connected directly to a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements through a corresponding one of the partitions, said circuit breakers being electrically connected to each other through another of the partitions and one of said circuit breakers being electrically connected directly to said output line.

2. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing is divided into four separate gastight areas, said output line has two branches, two bus bar arrangements are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing, and two circuit breakers are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing and each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements.

3. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating medium comprises sulphur hexafluoride.

4. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes housing tube portions each housing a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements, each of said housing tube portions being supported on the ground and in turn supporting the corresponding one of said circuit breakers.

5. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is of symmetrical structure except for the output line and each of the branches of the output line has the same components.

6. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers is a putter type breaker.

7. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein three partitions are provided in the housing, one of said partitions separating the circuit breakers from each other, another of said partitions separating one of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement, and the third of said partitions separating the other of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement.

8. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers is a puffer type breaker.

9. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said apparatus is of symmetrical structure except for the output line, each of the branches of the output line has the same components, the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers comprises a puffer type breaker. 

1. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus, comprising a metal housing having partitions therein dividing said housing into separate gastight areas; an insulating medium of higher grade than air at atmospheric pressure in the separate areas; an output line extending into the housing and having a plurality of branches; a plurality of bus bar arrangements of the same number as the number of branches of the output line each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing; and a plurality of circuit breakers each in a corresponding one of the separate areas of the housing and each electrically connected directly to a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements through a corresponding one of the partitions, said circuit breakers being electrically connected to each other through another of the partitions and one of said circuit breakers being electrically connected directly to said output line.
 2. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing is divided into four separate gastight areas, said output line has two branches, two bus bar arrangements are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing, and two circuit breakers are provided each in a corresponding one of the separate areas in the housing and each electrically connected to a corrEsponding one of the bus bar arrangements.
 3. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating medium comprises sulphur hexafluoride.
 4. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes housing tube portions each housing a corresponding one of the bus bar arrangements, each of said housing tube portions being supported on the ground and in turn supporting the corresponding one of said circuit breakers.
 5. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is of symmetrical structure except for the output line and each of the branches of the output line has the same components.
 6. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers is a puffer type breaker.
 7. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein three partitions are provided in the housing, one of said partitions separating the circuit breakers from each other, another of said partitions separating one of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement, and the third of said partitions separating the other of the circuit breakers from the corresponding bus bar arrangement.
 8. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers is a puffer type breaker.
 9. High voltage circuit breaker apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said apparatus is of symmetrical structure except for the output line, each of the branches of the output line has the same components, the insulating medium comprises a gas suitable as an arc extinguisher and each of the circuit breakers comprises a puffer type breaker. 